Gearbox Oil Selection

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crockett007

crockett007

Active Member
Posts
318
Location
West Berks
Hi

Every thread I've read on this seems to point to no other oil choice other than MTF 94 in the manual gearbox. Now, before the luddites say "It says that for a reason...... blah blah", has anyone used another oil with success, or has Texaco got the monopoly on this particular grade of oil?
I just find it hard to believe that no other manufacturer can produce an equivalent. It isn't down to price, it's availability.
 
i know quite a few,that have used dexron 2 or 3 for quite a few years ,as with any unit regular changes help,with no prolems manual gearboxes arent a big issue fault wise in my experience
 
It seems though, that every opinion is that if anything other than Texaco MTF 94 is used then the gearbox will seize/melt/implode, etc. I've seen feedback that states do not use castrol synthetic gear oils, as there have been adverse results. Is dexron readily available?
 
crockett007 said:
Hi

Every thread I've read on this seems to point to no other oil choice other than MTF 94 in the manual gearbox. Now, before the luddites say "It says that for a reason...... blah blah", has anyone used another oil with success, or has Texaco got the monopoly on this particular grade of oil?
I just find it hard to believe that no other manufacturer can produce an equivalent. It isn't down to price, it's availability.
Click to expand...

Hi Crockett,

I agree with you - it's hard to believe - and for both the auto Jatco and the manual Getrag boxes.

I've concluded that it must be down to some 'trace element' additive that BMW/LandRover/Jatco/Getrag specified and approved.

Oil manufacturers are therefore reluctant to list an equivalent for fear of claims that their oil didn't give the same service protection.

I've searched on several major oil companies 'Oilfinder' pages and both the Jatco and Getrag (as fitted to Freelanders) come up with 'Special Product'

I agree that it's not the price that is the problem - we only need to buy 4 litres for the auto and 2 for the manual - it's finding the damn stuff.

I just get mine from LR and accept the situation. I am just too wary/cautious to change to anything else.

But I'm happily using fully synthetic in the IRD and the Rear Diff.

Singvogel. :cool:
 
Last edited:
some people must do everything by the book ,gear box only contains standard gears ,bearings ,baulkrings etc as most other boxes ,certain units that or on boarder line capability of managing to take vehicle wieght /torque etc or contain special seals or composite parts will need special oils ,lr like other manufacturers are allways looking for reducing service costs/times by extending intervals ,sythetic oils are better for this ,but then theres the argument that not changing the oil as it lasts means box is been lubricated by expensive dirty oil,as lr haver found out with some supposed filled for life boxes and now advise changing the oil ,gear boxes have run on dexron successfully for years with no wear showing ,mtf94 is a gfood oil ,but as said do know many that use dexron atf sucessfully and have done for a god while
 
I've been led to believe the Getrag box is as sensitive to oil type as the R380, where incorrect oil will ause notchy gear changes. I certainly founs a difference when I changed the gear oil used by the previous owner of our Freelander when they changed the clutch. Refilling with MFF made a massive difference. I bought 5L from the local franchised dealer for about £25-30, which was no more expensive than the roughly equivalent 'gear-oil' from a local motor factors.

I have been led to believe by LR mechanics, although this may be wrong. That atf will form too fine a film between the gears and the sync rings, so gear changes will be notchy. Most other gear-oils, even of the equivalent grade to MTF, will usualy not form a film at all, as they don't have the appropriate additives to help the oil capitulate properly. Hence the gear change is notchy.

As a mechanical engineer, that does make sense. But to a car mechanic, that may sound like sh*te...:D
 
lr recommended dexron with r380s to begin with ,any faults r380 had wernt caused by the oil (only through lack of oil or servicing),and are still evident with mtf94 ,gears need a film otherwise they wouldnt last long ,baulk rings need to shift oil from gear cone to brake gear to align synchro ,with r380 baulkring has poor dog teeth these wear with either oil and is evident when you strip boxes ,and hasnt changed since the box was first introduced
 
Hello All,
Try this:CARLUBE 1L Manual Transmission Oil MTF-94
It is available from GSF factors or their E-BAY shop-£8.40 post free.
Surely it is the same spec. No troubles since using it.
Freelanderer.
 
A while ago I bought some millers XSS10/40 engine oil for the wifes car,I noticed that the specifications on the container stated it was also to MTF 94 spec so I phoned them up and spoke to a guy in their tech department, he confirmed that it was suitable for the Freelander gearbox .I've not tried it yet but probably will in the future if the L/R oil is difficult to get .

Engine Oil | Semi Synthetic Oil | XSS 10w40
 
freelanderer said:
Hello All,
Try this:CARLUBE 1L Manual Transmission Oil MTF-94
It is available from GSF factors or their E-BAY shop-£8.40 post free.
Surely it is the same spec. No troubles since using it.
Freelanderer.
Click to expand...

Dazz, I too saw this yesterday, and will be buying some as soon as. The gearbox oil change is the next, and last for a while, thing to do.
 
I found this too on the Carlube website www.carlube.co.uk. Clicked on the Which oil? tab, plugged in my reg and Hey Presto MTF94 manual transmission fluid!

Then clicked and reserved and picked up from my local GSF Factors in Glasgow (located from Car Parts | Cheap Discount Car Parts | GSF Car Parts and clicking on the "OVER 70 STORES NATIONWIDE" link half way down the screen.)

For filling I bought a Quicksilver Gear Lube Pump, designed for filling outboard motor gearboxes. It didnt screw onto the Carlube bottle, but I just inserted it in the filler tube where it fits quite snugly, though it will leak if knocked over. [See attached photo] It was a lot easier,controllable and less messy than other methods I have tried. The pump is like a larger version of those on soap dispensers and has a 50cm clear tube with a one way valve at the end.
I bought it on eBay from Splash-marine for £7.40 plus £2.80 p&p.
 

Attachments

  • MTF-94.JPG
    MTF-94.JPG
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I don't know how tolerant the Getrag box is to oil specs, I suspect it's not that fussy. The PG1 box will work with a light oil like 10/40 engine oil but not long. The diff carrier bearings use plastic in the race which is made brittle by additives in the oil. Mtf 94 contains a specially developed plastic protector for the plastic parts in the box. I've used the PG1 box with heavy duty plastic free bearings filled with quality 10/40 engine oil with no trouble at all.
 
I've just put this in my box....

Penrite TRANS GEAR 75W-80
Pack Sizes: 1 Litre, 2.5 Litre, 20 Litre, 60 Litre, 205 Litre
Trans Gear 75W-80 is a premium performance, semi-synthetic manual gearbox oil. It meets the performance requirements of API GL-4 Plus. Suitable for manual gearboxes, transfer cases and transaxles in passenger vehicles and 4WDs and can be used to replace synthetic 10W-30 or 5W-40 engine oils used in manual gearboxes as well as in motorcycle gear boxes. It is also excellent in BTR T-5 gearboxes.
Key Specifications: API GL-4 Plus, ZF TE-ML 02D, Land Rover MTF 94, MB 235.10, Honda MTF 7289, Chrysler MS 9224.

It explicitly mentions that its LR MTF-94 compliant, so hopefully it'll be OK.
 
nernm said:
I found this too on the Carlube website www.carlube.co.uk. Clicked on the Which oil? tab, plugged in my reg and Hey Presto MTF94 manual transmission fluid!

Then clicked and reserved and picked up from my local GSF Factors in Glasgow (located from Car Parts | Cheap Discount Car Parts | GSF Car Parts and clicking on the "OVER 70 STORES NATIONWIDE" link half way down the screen.)

For filling I bought a Quicksilver Gear Lube Pump, designed for filling outboard motor gearboxes. It didnt screw onto the Carlube bottle, but I just inserted it in the filler tube where it fits quite snugly, though it will leak if knocked over. [See attached photo] It was a lot easier,controllable and less messy than other methods I have tried. The pump is like a larger version of those on soap dispensers and has a 50cm clear tube with a one way valve at the end.
I bought it on eBay from Splash-marine for £7.40 plus £2.80 p&p.
Click to expand...

That is a crackin idea, So I'm assuming a Catering washing up liquid dispenser would do the same job there about that size......a bargain at £1 from Bookers
 
Probably. I had hoped it would screw on to the gear oil bottle (Why aren't they a standard size and thread !:mad:)

I'm also a bit wary of oil products and plastics and felt at least this would be oil resistant. Bitter experience years ago with dissolving plastics and petrol!:( I know oil aint the same as petrol and will probably be okay and I've wasted a tenner !
 
PS it also came with that length of clear plastic tube with a one way valve at the end. I'm sure you will source some tubing easily and the one way valve aint that critical.
 
Just a point someone mentioned to me once? When a 80w/90 spec oil is specified why can`t a 75w/90 oil be used as it covers the 80w range as well? And will save you getting another grade of oil?:scratching_chin:
 
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